I have put my fishing rods into hibernation for the rest of the winter – save one steelhead rod just for “emergencies.” The last body of open lake water I had been fishing has begun to freeze up and except for the winter steelhead run, my fishing is now concentrated and centered on the ice. I am now stuck with the incredibly boring task of finding things to do. This could lead to long days of wasted time or, as I prefer, it can lead to the replenishing of my tackle as I build a few baits.

I am a huge fan of the inline spinner bait when fishing for steelhead, salmon or just about any type of game fish. I use a spinner in either silver or gold year-round and it can get to be an expensive task just maintaining a good supply of these baits.

When fished correctly, a spinner is tapping along the rocks on the bottom of the river or stream or through the branches of a fallen tree.

In either case, the fact of the matter is, anyone using this type of bait can and must be prepared to lose a few lures along the way. At upward of $5 a pop in many cases, this is not a cheap way to fish.

My solution, I build my own baits. I enjoy experimenting with different types and weights of body components and colors of the beads I use in the creation of my lures. Items such as colored glass and plastic or even brass beads and multiple sizes and styles of spinner blades make it possible to tailor a lure for a specific type of water. This equates to more fish being hooked up when I get out on the water. Often it takes no more than a piece of colored tape on the backside of the blade to enhance the allure of the bait.

There are a few different locations the components to make spinner baits can be found. I prefer Cabela’s simply because I have used their products for years with great success. All of their components can be found online by searching through the tackle craft division on the Cabela’s Website. There are even special purpose tools available to aid in forming the wire into a spinner bait. While not absolutely necessary (I have built many spinners with nothing more than a pair of pliers), the tools help greatly in the formation of both the top eye as well as the unique bend that holds the hook in place.

There are a few secrets I have found over the years that increase the effectiveness of my spinners. One such trick is to place the colored tape, typically red or green, on the backside of the spinner blade. This is because as the fish approaches the spinner from the rear or from the side, the backside of the blade is the side that the fish sees the best. A touch of color often helps trigger a more aggressive attack on the lure.

Page 2 of 2 - I also use the heaviest body weights I can find to aid my lure in reaching the strike zone the quickest. In fast water or when fish are in submerged cover, this is crucial to catching fish. I also prefer a French-type blade over those of Indiana- or willow-type blades. I think the French blade spins easier and more aggressively in fast water, where I spend most of my fishing time.

Try your hand at lure building this winter and you will not only discover a fun and entertaining new hobby, you will save a lot of money when compared to “store bought” lures. Feel free to deviate from tried-and-true color combinations and you may accidentally stumble onto the next best fishing lure known to the fishing world.

Keep in mind the danger of sharp hooks and choking threats if building lures around or near small children or pets. I have found it is not a fun thing to have to remove a fish hook from a pet’s foot or mouth. The key here is to be extra cautious with the materials. I cannot state this enough. Remember to put all of the spinner components up and out of the way when you are not actually using them, remember to use strong hooks as they are the key component in securing a fish to your lure and remember, it’s a great outdoors.

Jim Kilchermann is an avid outdoorsman who will be sending his order to the sporting goods store so that he can start building lures in his off time. Contact him at jimkilchermann@yahoo.com and share a story or ask a question. Until next time, stay out of the snags and keep all of your shots in the ten ring.